1. Field
The present invention relates to a standup exercise apparatus that simulates walking, jogging and climbing with arm exercise. More particularly, the present invention relates to an exercise machine having separately supported pedals for the feet and arm exercise coordinated with the motion of the feet. The pedal lift is controlled separately and can be varied.
2. State of the Art
The benefits of regular exercise to improve overall health, appearance and longevity are well documented in the literature. For exercise enthusiasts the search continues for safe apparatus that provides full body exercise for maximum benefit in minimum time.
Recently, a new category of exercise equipment has appeared on the commercial market called elliptical cross trainers. These cross trainers guide the feet along a generally elliptical shaped curve to simulate the motions of jogging and climbing. Generally they are large exercise machines having long cranks which causes the pedals to have excessive articulation producing ankle stress. There is a need for a more compact elliptical exercise machine with favorable pedal articulation and arm exercise. Further, there is a need to adjust the elliptical motion to vary the stride, lift and amount of climb desired by the operator during operation.
Standup pedal exercise combined with arm levers attached to the pedals is shown in Kummerlin et al. German Pat. No. 2,919,494 and in Geschwender U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,050. Standup pedal exercise coupled with oscillating swing arms is shown in Miller U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,242,343 and 5,383,829 and in Eschenbach U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,729. All of these exercise machines use pedals having two pedal pivots which are guided by a first circular guide path curve generated by a crank which rotates through one full revolution during a pedal cycle and a second arc guide path curve generated by a rocker link or track.
Eschenbach in U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,814 shows the use of an orbital link in a front drive elliptical design using a single crank. Dalebout et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,710 shows a front drive elliptical device having rollers under the pedals. Several rear drive elliptical cross trainers are shown by Eschenbach in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,042,512 and 6,361,476. Rosenow in U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,486 and Arnold et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,321 shown typical commercial rear drive elliptical cross trainers in use today.
Jarriel et al. in U.S. Des. Pat. No. 330,236 shows a pair of equal length cranks that guide a pedal for standup exercise. Eschenbach in U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,529 shows a double crank configuration to guide a pedal where each crank is a different length. Johnson in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,387,167, 5,403,255, 5,647,821, 5,944,636, 6,120,417, 6,251,050, 6,746,377 and 6,755,769 displays pedals guided by two cranks of the same length and different lengths.
Lee in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,902,216 and 6,146,314 shows a pair of unequal cranks to guide a pedal with arm exercise added. Jarvie in U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,028 also shows a pair of cranks with a linkage for striding. Rodgers in U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,555 shows a linkage with two cranks to generate an ellipse.
There is a need for a pedal operated exercise machine that can be safely operated in the standup position whereby the arms and legs can be exercised with the feet moving through a generally elliptical path without excessive pedal articulation. There is a further need to have the elliptical pedal path adjustable.
It is one objective of this invention to provide an elliptical pedal movement with a double crank linkage that reduces the steep pedal angles which can occur with a simple crank. Another object of this invention is to provide arm exercise that is coordinated with the pedal movement. Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a pedal path that may adjusted during operation of the apparatus.